Caster.



J. C. BLEVNEY.

CASTER.

APPLIOATION FILED DBG. 1, 1911.

1,052,454. Patented Feb. 11,1913.v

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

JOHN C. BLEVNEY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CASTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

Applicationled December 1, 1911. Serial No. 663,425. i

p T o all whom it may concern.'

Y do hereby declare the following toA be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the. art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

The present invention relates, generally, to improvements in casters for furniture; and, the invention has reference, more particularly, to a ,novel form of caster in which the roller thereof is mounted in such a manner, that it will more easily and quickly adjust and aline itself to the direction of pull exerted upon the furniture withv which the caster is connected.

The invention has for itsy principal object to provide a simple and inexpensive construction of caster adapted-forjuse with` all types of furniture, but particularly adapted for use with thev tubular postsof` metal beds, and other heavy furniture.

The invention consists, primarily, `in the novel caster hereinafter set forth; and, this invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various` parts'of the caster, as well as in the, details of the construction of the same, all of which will be more fully described in detail in the Ifollowing. specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended thereto, and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal vert-ical section of one form of the novel construction ofV caster made according to the `principles off the present invention, the same being shown in that form, which is adapted for use with the tubular posts of' met-al bedsteads, and similar furniture; Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the same; 3 is a transverse vertical section of the caster, said section being taken on line 3 3 in said Fig. l with a supporting rivet and the caster wheel shown in elevation; and Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a slightly modified construction of caster, the

same' being also adapted for usey with theA tubular posts of metal bedsteads. Fig. 5 is l a longitudinal vertical section of another modified form of caster, made according to the principles of the` present invention, the same being adapted for use with all general form of furniture; and Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar characters of reference are em' ployed in all of the said above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the saidI drawings, the reference-character l indicates the lower open end-portion of a tubular post, such as usually support the frames of metallic beds, and similar furniture. Adapted to fit within the open end-portion of said tubular i post is a casing or shell 2, openat the bottom, but having an inclosing upper portion,

3. Said shell 2 may be provided with a series of spring-like2 .ngers `or frictional binders 2a, the same being struck .out of the n body of said casing or shell,'and :are adapted to press against the inner: sides ofsaidl tubular post l, to make a frictionalengagement therewith forthe purposeof rf'etainingr` said shell., or casing. 2 lits essential relation within said post.v Extending outwardly from the lower marginaled e of'said casinggor shell 2'is an annular ange or rim 4, which engages, in a supporting relation thereto, the lower end-portion of said tubular post l. The lower inner surface of said shell or casing 2 is cylindrical,l and provides a bearing-surface, as 5, for the purpose to be subsequently described'. Centrally disposed in the inclosing upper portion 3 of said shell or casing 2 is a rivet 6, or other fastening means, which serves to movably suspend within said shellA or casing 2 a frame 7, from which depend a pair of supporting portions 8, between which is rotatably mounted, upon a suitable spindle 9 that it projects beneath the plane of the open end of said casing or shell, no matter what position it assumes therein, and that the said roller is in rolling contact with they-floor beneath t-he tubular post 1 at all times.y

Projecting outwardly from each of the supporting portions 8 of said frame 7, and in a horizontal plane, are alining lugs or projections 11, upon the free ends of which are journaled, by means of rivet-connections 12 or any other suitable means, anti-friction rollers 13.

In its operation, the novel construction of caster, herein-above described, performs its functions in the following manner When Vthe furniture, to which the casters are attached, is subjected to either' a lpull or push, for the purpose of moving the same, the frame 7 and its roller or wheel 10 will swing in a direction opposite'to the direction of the saidvpull or push; or, in other words, will swing or oscillate upon its holding rivet 6 toward the shell or casing 2, and at the same time the frame 7 will swivel upon the rivet 6, with a tendency to aline the roller or wheel to the direction of movement of the furniture. jAs the frame 7 thus swings or oscillates, Vthe anti-friction rollers -13 ofv said alining lugs or projections v1,1 are brought in contact withthebeariiig-surface 5 of the shell or casing 2, and thus serve, not only to immediately center and maintain said roller or wheel `10 in alineinent with the line ordirection of movement of the furniture, but also serve to prevent the said roller `or wheel .from striking thel 'said casing or shell, whereby thefrition of 'its rotary'- movement `would lli'e'fimpaire'd.` It will thus be apparent, "that the roller or wheel 10 will quickly and, easily ali'nefitself to the directionis of movement, which not only renders the furniture more easily and quickly moved in any direction, but also saves t-he wear and tear upon thelfloors or iioorcoverings, which is due to the 'slow and uncertain action of casters mounted to turn or swivel upon a fixed vertical axis. i

As is illustrated in Fig; 4 of ithe'drawings, it is not absolutely essential that the anti-friction rollers 13 be applied tothe alining lugs or projections 11, but the same may be so formed, that their outer ends will engage the bearing-surface 5 of the shell 'or casing 2, and thereby operate'tov bring the roller or wheel 10 into properalinem'ent, and stop the same from contacting with the wall of said shell or easing.

Referrin now, more particularly, to Figs. 5 an 6 of the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated therein a slightly modified construction of caster, the same, however, still embodying the principles of the present invention. In this construction, I provide a shell or casing 14, open at its lower end, and reduced in diameterat its Y upper end 15, `so that the same may be received in the socket 16 formed in the lower end of the legs or standards 17 of general forms of furniture. Said upper end 15 is closed over by the wall 18, and the inner surface of the shell or casing 14 is cylindrical in form, so as to provide a bearing-surface 19. Suspendedwithin said shell or casing 14, by means of the loose rivet-connection 20, which engages the wall 18, is a shank 21 of l a frame 22, in the lower end of which is rotatably mounted a roller or wheel 23, the same being arranged upon' a suitable pintle 24 carried by said frame 22. Rotatably mounted upon said shank 21, so *as to turn in a substantially 'horizontal plane, is a fender-disk 25, which, while keeping the roller or wheel from contact with said Shell or casing, also assists, by rollin upon said bearing-surface 19, to aline vsaid roller or wheel to the direction of movement of the furniture, to which the caster is attached. Since the roller or wheel 23 is mounted in connection with said shell or casing 14, so as to possess the functions of both vswinging or oscillating therein, as well as swiveling by means o its loose rivet-connection, it follows that the principles ofl its operation and' action are the same as above described in connection with the first-mentioned construction of caster. Saidl upper end 15 of said shell or casing mayl also :be provided with one or more spring-like fingers or frictional binders 26, which serve't'o 'engage the inner wall Vof' thef socket"16 ofthe leg or standard 17 `tofretain said casing or shell in proper relation'thereto.`

From the above` description and the ac` companying drawing s,-"it twill "be obvious that I do not limit iny invention tothe eX- act arrangements and combinations of the several devices and vpartsv herein described and illustrated, for the same may be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention; noi',do`I'limit my 'invention or conne myself tothe lexactdetails of the constructionof the parts as lherein def scribed and as illu'strated'in'thev drawings.

1. A castercomprising a casing, a frame carrying a wheel mounted in connection with said casing so as to possess :both a swinging and swiveling action, and alining means connected with said frame adjacent to the axis of said wheel adapted to Contact with the interior surfaces of said casing to 1 with said frame and projecting partially through the open endrof said casing, and

alining lugs projecting in opposite directions from said frame, said lugs being adapted to contact with the bearing-surface of said casing, when said frame swings toward the walls of said casing.

3. A caster comprising a casing closed at its upper end and provided with an interior cylindrical bearing-surface, a frame suspended within said casing from the upper wall thereof, said frame possessing both a swinging and swiveling movement wit-hin said casing, a wheel mounted in connection with said frame and projecting partially through the open end of said casing, projections connected with said frame, said projections extending in opposite directions, and anti-friction rollers mounted upon the free ends of said projections adapted to contact with the bearing-surface of said casing, when said frame swings toward the walls of said casing.

4. A caster comprising a casing closed at its upper end and provided with an interior cylindrical bearing-surface, a frame suspended within said casing from the upper wall thereof, said frame possessing both a swinging and swiveling movement within said casing, a Wheel mounted 1n connection with said frame and projecting partially through the open end of said casing, projections connected with said frame, said projections extending in opposite directions below the axis of said wheel, and anti-friction rollers mounted upon the free ends of said projections adapted to contact with the bearing-surface of said casing, when said frame swings toward the walls of said casing, and spring-like lingers connected with said casing, adapted to retain the same in proper relation to said furniture.

A caster comprising a casing closed at its upper end, and having an outwardly projecting flange at its lower end, a frame, a wheel mounted in the free end of said frame and projecting partially through the open end of said casing, and means for connecting said frame to said casing, so that the former will both swing and swivel within the latter.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of November, 1911.

JOHN C. BLEVNEY.

Vitnesses l GEORGE D. RICHARDS, FREDK. H. lV. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

